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Old 04-26-05, 12:46 PM   #1
angltate
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Default Fishing with Live Bait.

Hey All,

It's likely that none of you forum-regulars remember me - but I actually joined last year. I've been away for a few reasons: fishing season ended, law school got hectic, etc. I was happily surprised to see that my account was still active, and I was even more surprised I remembered the password!

I have a question concerning fishing with live bait. I already understand that most of you fish with lures - and so do I - but my girlfriend's fiancee` is new to fishing, and he wants to use nightcrawlers and minnows. Whatever. Here are my questions ... any help / guidance would be greatly appreciated.

Nightcrawlers
I don't fish with them - so I guess you could say I'm a novice when it comes to hooking them. What's the correct way to hook them? Basically, I've read that you can hook them multiple times, cast the line out there, and wait... (ehh); but I've also heard that they should be hooked once (either at the tail or "head" end) and then fished slowly.

#1: Which is the correct way to fish a nightcrawler?
#2: If the correct way to fish a 'crawler is by hooking it only once (and fishing it slowly) - then how do you deal with sunnies / bluegills preying on the worm ... constantly!?

Minnows / Shiners
I imagine these are better to use than nightcrawlers? What's a good rig? Any advice would be great. Here are my specific questions:

#1: Hooking the Minnow... through the front two lips? Through the back of the tail?
#2: What's a good rig?
#3: Shiners are more expensive than minnows. Are they worth the extra money?

I really appreciate your help guys!

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Lou
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Old 04-26-05, 02:17 PM   #2
angltate
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Default Re: Fishing with Live Bait.

Opps...

Meant to say: "my girlfriend's cousin's fiancee`"

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Old 04-26-05, 04:08 PM   #3
fisherman_craig
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Default Re: Fishing with Live Bait.

Is there any reason you prefer the live bait? I use only lures. Zoom worms and some cranks are what I toss at the Bass. If you use a worm, I would use a bobber, but there is no way of really keeping the blue gills from hitting it.
If I were you, I would stock up some lures. ;D
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Old 04-26-05, 05:40 PM   #4
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Default Re: Fishing with Live Bait.

fatdirty, he does use lures. it says his cousinns sisters dads mom in law ;D uses live bait. i started out using live bait. the best way to hook a nightcrawler is to hook it multiple times, dont leave any part hangin off(its an easy way to get your bait stolen) as far as minnows go, hook them thru both lips, make sure not to hit the brain tho. and for shiners, hook them right behing their dorsal fin. you can tell i used to use live bait. i dont anymore because im not that patient. i do use live bait for other fish like crappie and catfish. and sometimes for saltwater fish.
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Old 04-26-05, 06:27 PM   #5
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Default Re: Fishing with Live Bait.

[quote author=fatdirtycat link=board=news;num=1114530385;start=0#2 date=04/26/05 at 15:08:02]Is there any reason you prefer the live bait? I use only lures. Zoom worms and some cranks are what I toss at the Bass. If you use a worm, I would use a bobber, but there is no way of really keeping the blue gills from hitting it.
If I were you, I would stock up some lures. Â*;D[/quote]

I have many lures, some of which I extremely prefer, as they are my "confidence lures." senkos, my white / chartreuse (sp?) spinnerbait, etc. But, this guy who wants to "be my fishing buddy" (lol) prefers live bait. I'm sure I'll be using 'crawlers and minnows throughout the course of our outings... I just don't know the correct technique.

For 'crawlers, I've read online that the most effective way to get big bass is to hook the worm ONCE - at either end, cast out, and reel in very slowly.

The problem is, 90% (or more) of the worm is dangling past the hook. I have no problem w/ that, because if a bass does hit it, it would engulf the whole worm (and the hook) but the problem lies in dealing with the smaller fish as I already mentioned: crappie, bluegills, and of course: sunnies.

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Old 04-26-05, 06:29 PM   #6
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Default Re: Fishing with Live Bait.

[quote author=bassfisher02 link=board=news;num=1114530385;start=0#3 date=04/26/05 at 16:40:08]fatdirty, he does use lures. it says his cousinns sisters dads mom in law ;D uses live bait. i started out using live bait. the best way to hook a nightcrawler is to hook it multiple times, dont leave any part hangin off(its an easy way to get your bait stolen) as far as minnows go, hook them thru both lips, make sure not to hit the brain tho. and for shiners, hook them right behing their dorsal fin. you can tell i used to use live bait. i dont anymore because im not that patient. i do use live bait for other fish like crappie and catfish. and sometimes for saltwater fish.[/quote]

Shiners v. Minnows...

Minnows are so much cheaper, so are shiners worth the money? Advantages / disadvantages of both?
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Old 04-26-05, 06:47 PM   #7
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Default Re: Fishing with Live Bait.

it all depends on the bait that is in the body of water. if you have a body of water full of shiners, then shiners would be the way to go. if the body of water has no shiners, just minnows, then minnows is the way to go. here in florida shiners tear up big bass. i only use minnows for crappie.
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Old 04-26-05, 06:49 PM   #8
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Default Re: Fishing with Live Bait.

if you hook the worm only once, it will be torn up by small fish. thats why you leave no worm hanging. with the worm is hooked all the way, you are more then likely gunna hook a fish.
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Old 04-26-05, 07:01 PM   #9
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Default Re: Fishing with Live Bait.

[quote author=bassfisher02 link=board=news;num=1114530385;start=0#7 date=04/26/05 at 17:49:07]if you hook the worm only once, it will be torn up by small fish. thats why you leave no worm hanging. with the worm is hooked all the way, you are more then likely gunna hook a fish.[/quote]

Thanks for the input - but here's my follow up Q:

If you hook the worm "all the way," doesn't that really hinder the natural movement of the worm, which I think entices the big fish in the first place?

???
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Old 04-26-05, 07:06 PM   #10
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Default Re: Fishing with Live Bait.

it does, but it will be more of a smell thing that will attract the fish. if you hook it once, it will be just the same off because little fish will tear the worm up and you will only have alittle peice of worm left. so you will be better off hook it all.
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Old 04-26-05, 07:14 PM   #11
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Default Re: Fishing with Live Bait.

aequitas58
hey boy nice to see the mutt dragged you back in here.

if only jag would come by to harass me life would be perfect.-mind you i have tryed to call that idiot many times.


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Old 04-26-05, 08:07 PM   #12
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Default Re: Fishing with Live Bait.

BTW, i would use a bobber. 8)
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Old 04-26-05, 08:07 PM   #13
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Default Re: Fishing with Live Bait.

Welcome back!

Been so long since I used live bait I almost forgot how. I used to threar the wiorm on the hook so most of it was on the hook but the ends of the worm dangled off, and minnows through the lips or dorsal fin.

Best bet is to outfish him with artificials-I used to outfish one buddy like 5-1 with artificials, and now that is all he fishes.
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Old 04-26-05, 09:05 PM   #14
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Default Re: Fishing with Live Bait.

[quote author=Rebbasser link=board=news;num=1114530385;start=0#12 date=04/26/05 at 19:07:38]Welcome back!

Been so long since I used live bait I almost forgot how. Â*I used to threar the wiorm on the hook so most of it was on the hook but the ends of the worm dangled off, and minnows through the lips or dorsal fin.

Best bet is to outfish him with artificials-I used to outfish one buddy like 5-1 with artificials, and now that is all he fishes.[/quote]

LOL. That's a great idea.
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Old 04-26-05, 09:06 PM   #15
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Default Re: Fishing with Live Bait.

[quote author=zooker link=board=news;num=1114530385;start=0#10 date=04/26/05 at 18:14:06]aequitas58
hey boy nice to see the mutt dragged you back in here.

if only jag would come by to harass me life would be perfect.-mind you i have tryed to call that idiot many times.


zooker[/quote]


Haha ... thanks man.

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Old 04-26-05, 09:14 PM   #16
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Default Re: Fishing with Live Bait.

Guys:

Check out this link:
http://www.trophybassonly.com/id132.htm

What are your initial thoughts / impressions? I found the site doing a simple Google search: "fishing with nightcrawlers"

Comments appreciated,

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Old 04-26-05, 10:37 PM   #17
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Default Re: Fishing with Live Bait.

I once read where this guy puts about 4 or 5 crawlers on one hook. Says it kills big bass. Fishes it on the bottom. I guess one worm is easy for the pan fish to steal but 4 or 5 isn't.

Bob
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Old 04-26-05, 10:59 PM   #18
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Default Re: Fishing with Live Bait.

I am going to assault the bass with my newly aquired nightcrawlers.


seaphantom
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Old 04-26-05, 11:08 PM   #19
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Default Re: Fishing with Live Bait.

2 words....sand minnows
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Old 04-27-05, 03:39 AM   #20
angltate
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Default Re: Fishing with Live Bait.

[quote author=bassinbob link=board=news;num=1114530385;start=0#16 date=04/26/05 at 21:37:31]I once read where this guy puts about 4 or 5 crawlers on one hook. Says it kills big bass. Fishes it on the bottom. Â*I guess one worm is easy for the pan fish to steal but 4 or 5 isn't. Â*

Bob[/quote]

I dunno. I never tried it, so I really can't disagree with it, but if the lake I frequent is as densly populated with sunnies (and the like) as I think, then hooking 4-5 'crawlers on one hook would just induce a feeding frenzy.

At least now, I can say that fishing with live worms has peaked my interested, and I might by 12 of my own to test a few things out.

In the end, I definitely look forward to outfishing him with my deadly SENKO WORMS!

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Old 04-27-05, 04:14 AM   #21
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Default Re: Fishing with Live Bait.

When i put a worm on a hook, i tear it into a small 1 - 1/2 piece and push the entire worm onto the hook, so that the body is covering the hook. When the kids are fishing with bobbers they hook the minnow's thru the eyeballs

Sandra
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Old 04-27-05, 10:45 AM   #22
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Default Re: Fishing with Live Bait.

I'm late getting in on this one but here goes: If he is fishing for bass with nightcrawlers, hook it once or twice and leave the tail off the hook. Basically T-rig the thing and retrieve it like you would a plastic worm. He can let it sit there with a bobber set up but it sounds like that would just invite the feeding frenzy. If the little ones tear up the worm, he has to either accept the fact that he's going to have to hook up a lot of worms to catch the bass or he needs to hook on a senko!

Minnows - bigger baits attract bigger fish (most of the time), go for the shiners! If the cost is too much....make him pay!
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Old 04-27-05, 03:20 PM   #23
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Default Re: Fishing with Live Bait.

You can get "bass" minnows. They are larger than "crappie" minnows but won't cost as much as shiners. Hook these minnows behind the dorsal fin under a float and be prepared to wait. Often times it may take some time to get a strike I.E. up to 1 hour.
When a bass nears they get active and start moving around.
Note: you may need to special order these type baits, due to the fact that bait shops rarely carry minnows of this size, crappie style minnows are normally appx. 2 to 2 1/2 inches long where as bass minows are normally 3 or more inches long. Not to worry, a 1 lb bass will hit these bigger minnows as well as a 10 lb bass.
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Old 04-28-05, 11:58 AM   #24
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Default Re: Fishing with Live Bait.

Welcome back, glad you remembered the place.

Lizards
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Old 04-28-05, 12:04 PM   #25
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Default Re: Fishing with Live Bait.

AEQUITAS,

I liked "Girlfriends Fiancee" better. It made a better read. Actually, you could just hit the "modify" button in the upper right hand corner and then change the text of your original message instead of making a whole new post. It would have covered your faux pas and no one would have been the wiser.

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